Prevention

What Contributes to Eye Injuries at Work?

•   Not wearing eye protection.  BLS reports that nearly three out of every five workers
     injured were not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident.
•   Wearing the wrong kind of eye protection for the job.  About 40% of the injured workers 
     were wearing some form of eye protection when the accident occurred.  These workers
     were most likely to be wearing protective eyeglasses with no side shields, though
     injuries among employees wearing full-cup or flat-fold side shields occurred, as well.( 1 )

     What causes Eye Injuries?

•   Flying particles.  BLS found that almost 70% of the accidents studied resulted from
     flying or falling objects or sparks striking the eye.  Injured workers estimated that
     nearly three-fifths of the objects were smaller than a pin head.  Most of the particles
     were said to be traveling faster than a hand-thrown object when the accident occurred.
•   Contact with chemicals caused one-fifth of the injuries. Other accidents were caused by
     objects swinging from a fixed or attached position, like tree limbs, ropes, chains, or
     tools which were pulled into the eye while the worker was using them.  ( 1 )

     Where Do Accidents Most Often Occur?

•   Craft work; industrial equipment operation. Potential eye hazards can be found
     in nearly every industry, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that more
     than 40% of injuries occurred among craft workers, like mechanics, repairers,
     carpenters, and plumbers. Over a third of the injured workers were operatives, such
     as assemblers, sanders, and grinding machine operators. Laborers suffered about
     one-fifth of the eye injuries. Almost half the injured workers were employed in
     manufacturing; slightly more than 20% were in construction.  ( 1 )

     How Can Eye Injuries Be Prevented?

•   Always wear effective eye protection. OSHA standards require that employers provide
     workers with suitable eye protection.  To be effective, the eyewear must be of the
     appropriate type for the hazard encountered and properly fitted.  For example, the
     BLS survey showed that 94% of the injuries to workers wearing eye protection resulted
     from objects or chemicals going around or under the protector.  Eye protective devices
     should allow for air to circulate between the eye and the lens.  Only 13 workers injured
     while wearing eye protection reported breakage.  ( 1 )

     Better training and education.  BLS reported that most workers were hurt while doing
     their regular jobs. Workers injured while not wearing protective eyewear most often
     said they believed it was not required by the situation.  Even though the vast majority of
     employers furnished eye protection at no cost to employees, about 40% of the  workers
     received no information on where and what kind of eyewear should be used.  ( 1 )